Dear St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School Families, 

As we prepare to welcome your students back on our campus in two days, we find ourselves, again, faced with very real concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to have protocols in place to protect the health and safety of our students. As always, the health of our students, staff and families is our top priority. Additionally, our desire to provide our students with the most traditional school experience possible allowing all to reach their full academic potential while growing in faith is the core of our mission. The practices implemented last year, thanks to your support, led to a very successful year with in-person learning the entire year. I know we can work together for another successful year. 

In recent days and weeks, I have been diligently consulting resources which will help in achieving this result. I have had the privilege to consult with numerous physicians, principals, and educators and researched the latest information from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the Montgomery County Public Health Department. Additionally, you received a survey last week as it was important to me to gather your input as the parents and primary teachers of our students. I received many e-mail responses, and all were carefully read and considered. Not surprisingly, the survey responses mirrored the division experienced throughout our area and country. While I know this topic may be something that divides us, I also know that our faith, our belief in Catholic education and our desire to keep our students safe and in the classroom is a shared goal that unites us. 

With all these factors, and in consultation with Father Tom, St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School will open the year wearing masks indoors. Unlike last year, masks will not be worn outdoors. Also, unlike last year, our students will be able to resume such activities as eating lunch in the Fellowship Hall, traveling to Auxiliary classrooms, participating in athletics and more. As a school, we are continuing with all cleaning protocols as we feel this also contributed to our previous success. Wearing masks gives us the greatest possibility of keeping our students in the classrooms and our school open. By all wearing masks, our students will not meet the definition of “close contact” if there is a positive case in the classroom. If not in masks and a positive case is detected, this could lead to most of the class needing to remain home for up to two weeks. With the inability to offer remote learning this year, having students missing classroom instruction for this length of time creates a potential hardship for the students, teachers, and parents. 

I know this announcement will upset some of our families. This makes me sad, as I care deeply for all our families and wish there was a way to make all happy. Please know that this decision is made out of love for each of your children. As most of you know, I also have students at this school. As a parent, I’m not thrilled to resume wearing masks and doing my weekly mask laundry load. However, I will use this experience as another teaching moment for my children emphasizing our shared responsibility as Christians to care for all those around us. 

My administrative team and myself, in continued consultation with physicians and other resources, will monitor this situation bi-weekly with the hopes of returning to a mask optional status as the number of active cases and percentage positivity decreases. 

The faculty and staff at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School is united and determined to make this year a tremendous success as we adjust to this current change to how we had planned to open the year. Please partner with us and share with your children this plan and the reasoning behind it. Please also join me in praying for an end to this virus so that this becomes a part of our history and no longer our current reality. Please pray for all those who are sick and those who care for them. 

Only by His Grace,

Veronica Tucker

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School

Principal